Floater thread clipping apparatus



July 2, 1968 c. GRAICHEN 3,390,603

FLOATER THREAD CLIPPING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-.1

INVENTOR CLAUS GRAICHEN July 2, 1968 c. GRAICHEN FLOATER THREAD CLIPPING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet :1

Filed Feb. 20, 1967 United States Patent 3,390,603 FLOATER THREAD CLIPPING APPARATUS Claus Graiehen, 6 Beech St., Trumbull, Conn. 06611 Filed Feb. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 617,101 10 Claims. (Cl. 87-27) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the invention This invention relates to thread cutting apparatus and in particular to apparatus adapted to cooperate with a lace machine so as to clip, as the lace is being produced and advanced, threads floating on the surface of the lace.

In the manufacture of patterned textile fabrics such as patterned lace, separately disposed figures or designs are woven or inwrought by continuous threads. These threads float from one design to another upon the lace. Their lengths as well as their angular position with respect to the direction in which the lace being produced is advanced, may vary widely. Each thread must be cut leaving two loose ends upon the lace. After the weaving process, the lace will undergo washing, scouring, drying and framing etc. before these loose ends are removed to dress it up. Their retention serves to keep the designs in their intended shape during all these steps.

Description of the prior art Until now this cutting or clipping of the floater threads leaving the two loose ends has generally been accomplished by hand. Obviously, hand clipping is tedious and materially increases labor costs of lace so processed.

Of course, machinery has been suggested for clipping floater threads, but thus far such machinery has met with limited success. In such apparatus, the floater threads on a patterned fabric are cut after they have been incorporated into the fabric but before the fabric is wound on the take-up roll. However, the cutter mechanism includes one or more bars disposed transversely of and over the fabric carrying one or more cutting elements that ride upon the surface of the fabric. Where a single element is involved, it is ridden across the entire width of the fabric, while plural elements have been reciprocated a portion of the fabric width in a single cutting direction in timed relation to the lengthwise advance of the fabric, to effect cutting of the floating threads. The bulk of these mechanisms prevents an operator from viewing the fabric as it is being produced. In addition, no provision is made for distortion of the fabric or broken threads. Nor are such mechanisms effective in cutting floaters not parallel to the direction in which the fabric is advanced. Finally, no provision in such apparatus is made for adjustment in cutting stroke, as will be required in forming lace with different patterns.

Summary of the invention Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to 3,390,603 Patented July 2, 1968 "ice floater threads from patterned lace as it is being produced.

Another object is such an attachment that will clip threads of varying lengths and at various angles with the direction in which the fabric being produced is advanced, each thread being clipped only once.

Still another object is a clipping attachment for a lace producing machine that permits an operator to view both operations.

A further object is a clipping attachment that allows for distortion in the lace being produced.

A still further object is a clipping attachment that is linked to a Jacquard machine for its power source, thereby affording very precise control of the clipping attachment.

Another object is such an attachment Whose cutting stroke is adjustable.

These and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the present invention, one illustrative embodiment of which comprises a clipping attachment mounted upon a patterned lace producing machine. The attachment includes a slotted power bar disposed transversely of the vertical direction in which the lace being produced is advanced. Floater threads of various lengths and at varying angles with respect to the direction in which the patterned lace is being advanced rest upon the surface of the lace facing the bar. The bar carries, by means of shafts extending through and keyed to the bar slots, a plurality of shuttles spaced across and spring biased against the surface of the lace being woven. The ends of the shuttles are aligned transversely of the direction of lace movement, each end being provided with a curved portion adapted to ride under a floater thread and an outwardly extending horizontally disposed cutting blade for cutting the threads. The bar rests on ball bearings within a transverse channel, which also serves as a safety cover, and is adapted to be reciprocated within the channel in either direction and at right angles to the direction of lace movernent. Very precise movement of the bar is effected by means of a Jacquard machine via a cable connected to one end of the bar. A power spring connected to the opposite end of the bar urges it back to its original position. When the bar is reciprocated in either direction, the curved horizontal portion of one or more of the shuttles will move under a floater thread and raise it until met by the cutting blade where it is severed. Should an operator observe distortion in the lace as by a hole in the pattern being produced, he can lift the one or more shuttles which are in the line of the oncoming hole, off the lace simply by drawing a shuttle shaft handle towards him and rotating it to a position in which the shuttle no longer rests on the lace. In this way further damage to the fabric is avoided.

Brief descriplion of the drawings and partially in schematic of the floater thread clipping apparatus of the present invention mounted upon a lace producing machine;

FIGURE 3 is a broken out plan view of the clipping apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a broken out sectional view of the clipping apparatus of the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a broken out perspective view of the clipping apparatus shuttle of the present invention.

Detailed description Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a patterned lace fabric 11. The fabric includes the background lace 12 and a pattern of raised floral designs 13. These designs are formed by continuous threads 14 woven into the background lace 12 and which float upon the background lace 13 from one design to another.

In FIGURE 2, so much of a fabric producing machine 15 is illustrated as will aid in an understanding of the present invention. For illustrative purposes and because the invention is particularly applicable to same, the machine to be described is a leavers lace machine. Such a lace machine comprises two parts: the portion 16 where the lace is made; and a Jacquard 17 which governs the pattern.

The lace making portion 16 operates on the principle of twisting warp threads 18 fed fro-m beams (not shown) with bobbin threads 19 fed from bobbin carriages 20, to produce an ornamental fabric or lace 11. Movement of the bobbin threads 19 to and fro through the warp threads 18 is effected by the individual bobbin carriages 20. The warp threads 18 are passed through steel bars 21. As previously indicated, raised floral designs 13- are formed by the weaving of continous threads 14 into the background lace. These threads are woven into the lace at spaced intervals along with the Warp threads. The timing of the movement of bars 21, the direction in which they are moved, and the distance moved governs the pattern of the lace produced. At the left side of the machine the bars are attached to individual springs 22 and at the right side they are joined to the Jacquard 17. As the lace is being produced, it is fed vertically, ultimately to be wrapped around a roller.

The Jacquard 17 is joined to the individual steel bars 21, and by moving these bars to the right or left, governs the pattern of the lace produced. The Jacquard includes: a hexagonal, perforated cylinder 31 adapted to be rotated about its axis one sixth of a complete revolution, and to be moved up and down; a lever 32 having an end piece 33; a driving blade 34 adapted to move to the right and left; dropper 35; dropper sley 36; and cards 37 for resting on the cylinder 31, some of which are apertured according to the pattern to be produced. When the cylinder is rotated and moves up with an unpunched card 37 on top, it forces a dropper 35 up between the blade 34 and end piece 33. The blade 34 moves to the right and clamps the dropper 35 between itself and the end piece 33 and so moves the lever 32 to the right. Since each lever 32 is joined to a bar 21 through which warp threads 18 pass, the threads 18 are moved to a distance equal to the thickness of the dropper 35. While only one dropper is illustrated, there are normally seven droppers per bar of varying width. Thus by actuating droppers of different width, the threads are correspondingly moved different distances. It is apparent that when an unpunched portion of a card is on top no movement is effected.

What has been described thus far is conventional in the prior art. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention and referring again to FIGURE 2, there is illustrated a clipping attachment 41 for clipping floater threads 14. The clipping attachment includes a track 42 disposed in front of the vertical pass of the lace being produced essentially perpendicular thereto. A slotted bar 43 adapted to ride upon and be reciprocated within the track 42 carries a plurality of clipping elements 44 for severing the floater threads. Very precise movement of the bar is effected by means of the Jacquard 17, the same Jacquard used to govern the pattern of the lace produced.

The track 42 comprises a hollow channel of T-shaped cross-section being mounted upon a front stationary part of the machine 15 on either side of the lace producing regions and further supported at spaced intervals along its width by supports (not shown). The track also serves as a protective cover plate. Its front plate 45, however, has spaced transverse slots 46 providing access to individual clipping elements 44 during operation of the machine.

The bar 43 extends within the channel 42. It is connected on the left to a power spring 47 mounted to a stationary portion of the machine, and on the right through a pin 48, cable 49, and stroke adjuster 50 to the Jacquard 17 by means of which the bar will be moved to the right or left. The bar is adapted to ride within channel 42 on roller bearings or wheels 52 secured thereto.

Reference will now be had to FIGURES 3 and 4.

At spaced intervals along its front surface 55, the bar 43 is provided with slots 56 having a round central portion 57, and two deep slots 58 forming a channel and two shallow grooves 59 extending radially outwardly therefrom. The central portion 57 extends entirely through the bar while the slots 58 and grooves 59 do not.

A plurality of shafts 61 extend through the bar 43 passing within the central portion 57. Each shaft 61 is provided at one end with a shuttle 62 adapted to rest against the surface of the lace 11 being woven when in use. Midway the shaft is provided with a peg 63 adapted to slide within the channel formed by slots 58 when the shuttle 62 is in use thereby stabilizing the shuttle 62 on the lace, and to rest within the grooves 59 when the shuttle is not in use. A spring 64 positioned between the shuttle 62 and the bar 43 normally biases the shuttle 62 against the lace 11. The top of shaft 61 is provided with a handle 65 for lifting the shuttle 62 off the lace.

As best seen in FIGURES 4 and 5, the shuttle 62 comprises a light metal member 71, as of cast aluminum, shaped somewhat like an elongated ellipse. Its top surface 72 is curved, the height tapering towards either end 73. Slightly inwardly of each end is removably held a vertically disposed cutting blade 74, as a surgical blade, secured, for example, by a set screw .(not shown). A threaded opening (not shown) in the center of the top surface 72 of the shuttle 62 is adapted to receive the threaded end (not shown) of the shaft, the nut 76 serving to assure the maintenance of a tight lock. The generally flat surface of the shuttle bottom 77 is adapted to rest on the lace 11 being produced, being slightly raised at either end 73 so that upon movement the ends will not dig into the lace. Where particularly long floater threads 14 are to be cut it is advisable to provide a retainer plate 78 to prevent the floater riding up over the cutting surface of blade 74.

In operation the lace is produced by twisting the warp 18 and bobbin 19 threads at the same time weaving in the floater threads 14. The Jacquard 17 joined to the individual bars 21 governs the pattern of the lace produced. At the same time movement of the slotted bar 43 is effected by means of the Jacquard via the cable 49 and stroke adjustor 50. The stroke is coarsely adjusted simply by moving the stroke adjustor bar 81 by inserting the threaded stud 82 in one of the different slots 83 in the stroke bar 81 and retightening the nut 84. Finer adjustment is effected by actuating a dropper of different width.

The ends 73 of the shuttles 62 are aligned transversely of the direction of lace movement. As the bar 43 is reciprocated back and forth, the curved end portions 73 of the shuttle 62 will ride under a floater thread 14 and lift it until met by the cutting blade 74 where it is severed. Since the shuttle is provided with cutting blades 74 at both ends, and since the bar 43 can be moved back and forth, floaters to either side of shuttle can be cut.

It should be noted that the clipping attachment is directly in view of the operator. Nor does it obstruct his view of the lace being woven. Should an operator observe distortion in the lace as by a hole in the pattern being woven, he can lift the one or more shuttles 62 which are in the line of the oncoming hole, off the lace simply by drawing the shuttle handle 65 towards himself through the slot 46 in channel 42, thereby removing the peg 63 from the channel formed by slots 58, rotate the handle 90 and release the handle 65 so that the peg 63 comes to rest within the grooves 58. In this way the shuttle 62 no longer rests on the lace and further damage is avoided.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, and thus while the invention has been described with reference to a leavers lace machine, it is also aplicable to Rachel lace machines, bobbinet machines, embroidery machines, knitting machines and the like. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lace machine, including means for producing lace in a given production direction, means for weaving continuous threads into the lace to form floater threads on the surface of the lace at varying angles to the lace production direction, and a Jacquard for governing the pattern of the lace being produced, the apparatus comprising:

means on the lace machine for clipping the floater threads; and

means for actuating the clipping means, the movement of the actuating means being governed by the Jacquard.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the clipping means includes a bar carrying a plurality of clipping elements, each adapted to rest on the lace being woven, each element having fixed cutting surfaces facing in opposite directions transversely of the production direction, the bar being adapted to be reciprocated back and forth transversely of the production direction by the Jacquard.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 including means for biasing the clipping elements against the lace being woven.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 including means for lifting a clipping element off the lace.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 including means for preventing rotational movement of the clipping element while on the lace.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 including a track disposed on the lace machine extending the width of the lace being produced essentially penpendicular to the production direction and wherein the bar is provided with roller bearings and adapted to ride upon and within the track.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2 including means for adjusting the movement of the bar relative to the movement of the Jacquard.

'8. In a lace machine, including means for producing lace in a given production direction, means for weaving continuous threads into the lace to form floater threads on the surface of the lace, at varying angles to the lace production direction, and a Jacquard for governing the pattern of the lace being produced, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a track running the width of the lace transversely of the production direction;

(b) a slotted bar mounted upon the track for reciprocation thereon;

(c) a plurality of floater clipping elements carried by the bar, each element including (1) a shaft keyed to a slot in the bar, (2) a shuttle carried by one end of the shaft having (a) a flat bottom surface adapted to ride upon the surface of the lace;

(b) curved end portions disposed perpendicularly of the production direction for :passing under uncut floater threads upon reciprocation of the bar,

(c) curved top surface for raising the uncut floater threads relative to the surface of the lace upon reciprocation of the bar,

(d) cutter blades projecting from the top surface at either end to cut the floater threads and produce two loose ends upon reciprocation of the bar,

(e) a spring disposed between the bar and shuttle for biasing the shuttle against the surface of the lace, and

(f) a handle in the shank for lifting the shuttle off the lace; and

((1) means for reciprocating the bar.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 including means for adjusting the movement of the bar relative to the movement of the Jacquard.

10. In an apparatus for clipping floater threads upon the surface of lace as it is being produced and advanced in a production direction, which includes a reciprocable shuttle adapted to ride upon the surface of the lace, the improvement wherein said shuttle includes:

(a) a flat bottom surface adapted to ride upon the surface of the lace;

(b) curved end portions disposed perpendicularly of the production direction for passing under uncut floater threads upon reciprocation transversely of the production direction;

(0) curved top surface for raising the uncut floater threads relative to the surface of the lace upon reciprocation transversely of the production direction; and

(d) fixed cutter blades projecting from the top surface at either end to cut the floater threads and produce two loose ends upon reciprocation transversely of the production direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 851,404 4/1907 Creassey 87-27 XR 2,192,410 3/1940 Moore et al. 139-291 2,598,578 5/1952 McCutchen et al. 2611 XR 2,598,579 5/1952 McCutchen et al. 2611 XR 2,685,309 8/1954 Schaller 139--29l 2,958,343 11/1960 Riddle et al. 139-291 2,966,174 12/1960 Wright 139291 3,140,592 7/1964 Clark 66-85 JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner. 

